What router should I buy in the next 2 weeks?

[Pandamonium]

I need to buy second router. I own a D-Link DIR-825 with DD-WRT and stock antennas, which is covering my apartment. But I need to also cover a 2-story ~1800sf house with plaster walls. I can either buy a new router for the house, or move my router to the house and buy one for the apartment.

My toys are a mix of 802.11g/n, but I anticipate buying a new laptop in the next few months that should have 802.11ac. That laptop will almost be exclusively wireless.

I've read that current draft-ac routers should be firmware-updatable to final spec. But I'm wary of trusting preliminary reports without a manufacturer guarantee advertised on the products.

If I do go with an ac router, I've got my eye on the Asus RT-AC66U for $150-175, and I will be installing it at the house.

If I don't get an ac router, I'm not sure what I should do. Should I get the cheapest dual band router that can cover the house? Or should I upgrade my DIR-825's antenna, move the beefed up DIR-825 to the house, and buy a really cheap router for the apartment?

I want to maximize value with a reasonable amount of future-proofing. Any thoughts?

 

[JackMDS]

There is No miracle Wireless Routers that covers "whole houses".

Many whole houses might Not ever covered with one Wireless Router.

So... You start with one good Wireless Router and you one or more Wireless Routers configured as an Access Point.

 

[nk215]

I have a netgear ac router and it covers prob 90% of my 4700 spf home. It has been solid since I got it a few months ago.

I don't have what the router model is off hand. It s the second one down from the top, $160 or so.

 

[MontyAC]

This might handle all your needs, rated #1 in AC routers:

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/rankers/router/result/1140-asus-rtac66u

 

[tracerbullet]

I have the Asus AC, I love it. It's run about 5 months now (since I set it up) I think without any hiccups at all or any need to reboot even once.

FWIW I get 50% signal in my neighbor's house, which is relatively close to me but we both have plaster & lathe walls. I would expect within a single modern construction home, even a large one, to be at least as good.

The access point idea w/ multiple routers is a solid suggestion too. And if you already have a good working router it's potentially much cheaper.